Never Say Never
by HerMom
Summary: Bella is a 28 year girl running from a tragic past. Edward is a thirty something bachelor who has it all. Can she find happiness again? Can he help her though her dark past? Cannon couples. Future lemons. Please review.
1. Chapter 1

The Rose

I placed the last black magic rose into the crystal container in preparation for tomorrow's wedding.

"You done, honey?" Alice bellows from the adjoining room of the design studio.

"Almost," I say, "I cannot wait until we never have to hear from that Bridezilla ever again!"

"I know," she responds, "but it's not every day this little shop of ours gets to cater to someone of her importance. It's good for business!"

The Bridezilla in question was Rosalie Hale, a Manhattan born socialite who was engaged to be married to one of the cities most eligible bachelor's, Emmett Cullen. The couple had been engaged only 6 weeks and here we were, just one day before her wedding. Alice and I, as well as the "New York Housewife" community of Manhattan, speculated there was something more to this shot gun wedding. An unexpected bun in the oven perhaps? Needless to say, this had everyone's tongues wagging.

Because of the short time frame of the engagement, it was nearly impossible for the bride and her flaming wedding planner to find a florist in Manhattan that was available on such short notice. So one morning, Rose and her planner Laurent, sauntered into our little mom and pop floral shop in the heart of Brooklyn to place the largest order we had ever taken. Alice, the owner of "Wonderland Floral Design" was beyond thrilled. Not only would it bring a ton of extra cash into the business, but the exposure in itself would surely bring much needed customers. But all the benefits of this wedding were soon overshadowed by Rose's overbearing personality. Not only had she and Laurent been in the shop on four separate occasions this week to check on our "progress," they demanded thousands upon thousands of red roses that were shipped in from countries throughout the world. Alice and I had been up for nearly two days meticulously creating each bouquet, centerpiece and arrangement to her liking.

Now that we were finally finished with the arrangements and getting ready for tomorrow's delivery, my thoughts turn to night and my empty apartment. The nights were always the worst; Alone, no distractions, nowhere to hide.

"You alright, Bella?" Alice pulls me from my thoughts.

"I'm okay," I lie, "just thinking about tomorrow. It's gonna be so much work. I can't wait til it's all over."

"I know; that's why we need to get some rest tonight. Jasper will be here at 8 am sharp with a few other guys so we can start loading the trucks. You can meet us at the venue if you want, get a few extra hours of sleep?"

"No way, Alice!" I respond, "I'll be here at 8. Have a good night, hon!"

"You too, Bella! Get home safe."

I walk down the neighborhood I have called home for the last 8 months. Home. So far from where I once was. I have settled in a newer Brooklyn building paying rent on a one bedroom apartment. It is nice, and more importantly, clean. No mice or roaches or any of the stereotypical things that scream "New York" apartment. I had money, that wasn't an issue now. Even if the money Alice paid me barely covered half of what I paid in rent, I felt somewhat okay there. Calling myself happy would be a stretch. But it beat being passed out on the couch for days at a time not knowing if it was night or day, let alone not caring.

I open the door to my apartment and noticed my answering machine light blinking. I know, right? Who in their right mind still had an answering machine? Or a land line for that matter. But since I made the decision to no longer have a cell phone, I felt the need to have some sort of way to reach out in case of an emergency. The 5 messages on the machine were surely from my mother, Renee. I pressed the button and began deleting the messages even before I heard her voice. I could not deal with her today, maybe even ever.

My little apartment was sparsely decorated. A brown, leather couch that reminded me of the one we had at home. A coffee table and a plasma TV were the only other things besides the bookcase that adorned the room. I purchased a small 4 person dining table from the Scandinavian Design store a few weeks ago. Renee always said that the table for four I had at home was not enough seating for the entire family during gatherings, but it was just enough for us.

I ate a bowl of cereal on the couch and watched a little TV. I logged on to Facebook and saw what my friends and family from home were up to. There were no longer the "I miss you, Bella" or "Bella, come home" or "We love you" posts. So the guilt and pain had minutely decreased. My friends, Jessica and Angela, were gearing up for a girls night out. My cousin, Emily, posted pictures of her son's birthday party. Those were the ones that always hurt. I logged off and readied myself for my nightly routine.

A couple of Lexapros later, I was passed out on my queen sized sleigh bed. There, the dreams always start. I welcome them, no matter how heart wrenching they are. In my dreams, they are alive. Tonight it was the two of them in our old family room. I was sitting on the couch while she had her little two year old hands on his hips. He had his back to her and was wiggling his hips to and fro.

"Look, Mom! We're doing the choo choo dance!" Seth yells. And she giggles. I hear that giggle in my sleep and feel it my heart.

Tonight, the dream would be unkind. It fades quickly and turns into a memory. One that I thought would be the hardest and saddest thing I would ever endure. A cold and rainy February morning where everyone is dressed in black. Her Uncles hold her coffin and prepare to place her where she would remain for the rest of eternity. I am seated on one of the green chairs reserved for immediate family. He turns to me with his giant blue eyes and says, "Mom, why couldn't we save her?"

I wake up in a cold sweat with tears streaming from my face. It is nearly 4 in the morning. I got almost 5 hours of sleep. Not bad actually, most nights it's much less.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for all of those that have checked out my story. It inspires me to write more. **

**A big thank you to my proofreader! **

**I forgot to say this the first time: Stephenie Meyer owns all of Twilight. **

The Ranunculus

I reached the shop a half hour before Alice and Jasper pulled up with the trucks. Alice walked in wearing a black wrap dress with large white flowers, black ballet flats and a long, silver-layered necklace. It was a lot more conservative than I had usually seen my petite, raven-haired friend dress, but I knew that this wedding was a big deal for her and she wanted to be presentable in every way possible.

"Bella, you're here early? You look gorgeous!"

"Thanks, Alice! Are we all ready to go?"

"Ugh! Rose called last night! Apparently, she completely forgot that the best man was allergic to roses! Can you believe that? Have you ever heard of anyone being allergic to roses?"

I am dumbfounded. I could not believe that "Miss Thorough" forgot this little detail.

"Can you do me a huge favor and make another boutonnière?"

"Sure, Alice…" I reply, "But what am I supposed to use?"

"Check the cooler. I know we don't have much left, considering this is the only order we've accepted all week, but there's gotta' be something with the same "look and feel (air quotes)" of the rose," she says while rolling her eyes. "We'll start loading the trucks and you scrape something together for the boutonnière."

I walk in towards the cooler and its' pretty sparse. Most of what we have are leftovers from the larger arrangements - like lilies, orchids and peonies, but nothing that would pass as similar to the rose groomsmen boutonnières. At this point, I am running out of time and options. I run outside and find Alice.

"We have nothing that will pass, Alice. I'm gonna' head out to Trader Joe's down the street to see if they have anything we can use. Wish me luck!"

"That's a great idea! Thank you so much, Bella!"

I begin my two-block walk over to Trader Joe's with a few curious looks. I realize my attire isn't exactly what people wear at 8:30 on a Saturday morning. I wanted to make myself presentable for Alice's sake. So this morning, after shaking off another tough night, I looked in my closet and realized I didn't have many options. I had lost a significant amount of weight since leaving my hometown. I bought a few items of clothing when I started interviewing for positions. Before I got hired at Wonderland, I applied for several Office Assistant positions. That's how I ended up in what I was wearing today - a black pencil skirt and a white button up shirt with ruffle detail in the front. The only accessory I ever wore was my watch. I wore ballet flats similar to Alice. I guess we both knew it would be a long day on our feet. It wasn't exactly as formal as Alice's attire, but as long as I wasn't in a T-shirt and jeans, I knew she wouldn't mind.

The floral department at Trader Joe's wasn't its usual lush, plentiful self. Everything looked picked over and wilted. But I was determined to find something I could use. And that something was the last bunch of red ranunculus. Half of the bunch was already wilting, but there were a handful of blooms that I could definitely use. As I walked over to the check stand I saw Jane. She was my favorite cashier. She was sort of a gypsy, spiritual type.

"Bella! Its nice to see you this morning." She eyes the bouquet of flowers I have in placed on the counter. "No veggie chips today?"

"No Jane, not today," I say in a hurried tone, hoping she would keep the chit-chat to a minimum.

"Ah, the ranunculus! Such a beautiful flower!" she says enthusiastically. "Do you know the meaning of the ranunculus?"

"No" I respond, "I just really need to get these for a wedding today." Hoping she would get the hint. She smiles and hands me my change. I smile back and walk towards the door.

"I AM DAZZLED BY YOUR CHARMS…" she yells through the semi-crowded check out area.

"Excuse me?" I say while turning to look at her.

"The meaning of the ranunculus - I am dazzled by your charms."

"Thanks, Jane. See you later," I say, confused.

An hour later, we are on our way to The Four Seasons Hotel in Manhattan. I am in the rented U-Haul with Jasper's friend, James. He is average height and somewhat good looking. He's wearing jeans with cowboy boots and a plaid button-up shirt. His shoulder length blonde hair is in a pony tail.

"It's Bella, right?" He says with a smile.

"Yeah," I respond, "And you're James?"

The half hour ride is pleasant and filled with small talk. He is asking about where I am from and how long I have been in New York. These questions always make me uncomfortable, but I just respond with my usual "I needed a change of scenery…blah blah blah." He seems satisfied with my response and we continue lamely and uneventfully.

Once we arrive at the venue I am taken aback by how breathtaking it is. The ceremony and reception are being held in a room simply known as "Aqua." It's named this because there is a giant pool in the middle of the room. For the ceremony, the pool is being covered with glass and is now a makeshift platform. Rose will be walking on a constructed runway that attaches to the pool and she and Emmett will be standing there exchanging vows.

Alice and I, along with the rest of our crew, immediately go to work. After unloading the trucks, we place 4 large urns filled with red and pink roses on each corner of the platform. On the outside corners of the platforms, we place 4-8 foot cherry blossom trees. We hang planters filled with flowers along the glass wall of the room. We place 30 crystal centerpieces in different heights on each table that will be moved into the room while the guests are enjoying cocktail hour. We are also freshening up the bouquets for Rose and her bridesmaids. As we near the end of our set up, a few people from the wedding party start filtering into the room.

"Bella!" Alice rushes up to me, "the big guy over there in the tux is the groom. I am assuming those are his groomsmen and his parents. Can you go over there and start giving them their flowers? I'll finish up here."

"Sure, Alice."

Ever since the wedding we did a few weeks ago, where Alice drew blood while pinning a corsage onto the Mother of the Bride, she was deathly afraid of pinning any type of flowers onto the bridal party. I had become solely responsible for this part of the job, so I picked up the clear boxes of boutonnières and corsages and headed for the groom.

"Emmett?" I say questioningly. "I'm Bella. I'm with the florist. Can I start putting boutonnières on you guys?"

"Sure, Bella." He says nervously.

And I start the pinning process. I keep my head down and go from tuxedo to tuxedo without looking up. It's strange to be so close to another man's mouth and face. You don't know what to expect. But most of the time I find there's more liquor on their breath than anything else. After pinning three of the groomsmen, I find myself next to a handsome older couple whom I assume is Emmett's parents.

"Bella?" the woman inquires, "Hi, I'm Esme. You and Alice have done a beautiful job with the flowers. Thank you so much for all your hard work."

"Thank you," I say almost speechless that she knows my name. My guess is that she overheard me introducing myself to Emmett just minutes prior. "I have your corsage here and something for your husband as well."

"Thank you, dear. Carlisle!" she calls. "This is Bella and she has a little something for your tux."

"Thanks, Bella!" I smile at him and am suddenly struck by how charming this man is. He is dashing, for an older man. He has beautiful blonde hair and sticking bluish-green eyes. From his posture and body language, you can easily tell he is confident and well-educated. I cant help but think of how lucky Emmett is to have such a fine role model for a father.

I am done pinning flowers to everyone present when I notice the lone ranunculus boutonnière in the box.

"Emmett?" I say feeling like I am rudely interrupting, "do you have another groomsman that is allergic to roses?"

"Oh!" He smiles. "That would be my brother, Edward. He's somewhere around here. If you wouldn't mind looking for him, I would appreciate it. The photographer will be here in few minutes and Rose will have my dick on a platter if everyone isn't ready…"

"Sure, no problem," I say. I turn to Esme, who is glaring at Emmett, and smile.

I begin my search with boutonnière in hand. Some of the guests have started arriving and are walking around the hallway leading to the Aqua room. I peek into one of the smaller rooms along the hallway and find him. He is standing with his back to the door and is fiddling with his bow tie in front of the mirror.

"Excuse me?" I say. He turns around, looking startled and slightly annoyed. We make eye contact and his expression changes, but I am unable to read him. I am instantly nervous. "Are you Edward? Emmett wanted me to find you and give you this." I raise my hand and show him the boutonnière.

"Yeah, I'm Edward," he responds. There is a slight twinkle in his eye and the corners of his lips are turned up slightly.

I walk through the door and it closes behind me. I begin by placing my fingers at the lapel of his jacket and notice that he is a lot taller than me. Maybe a little taller than Emmett. His scent is intoxicating…in a good way, making me dizzy. And that's when it happens. I prick my own finger with the pin.

"Shit, sorry!" I mumble.

"What happened?"

"Oh nothing, I just pricked myself with the pin." I look at my finger and there is a small amount of blood pooling. Instinctively, I put the tip of my finger in my mouth and start sucking.

"Let me see." He says.

"It's nothing, I'm fine." He takes my finger anyways and inspects it closely. His touch comes with a jolt of electricity. The lights seem like they are dimming and I am lightheaded.

What happens next takes me by total surprise. He takes my finger, puts it into his mouth and begins to suck gently. My finger is quickly replaced with my lips. He is rough with me and I can feel myself getting wetter and wetter. I want to push him off me in protest, but I am unable to. It's as if my body and mind are working separately from each other. He presses me up against the wall and my skirt rides up my thighs. My legs subconsciously wrap themselves around his waist and his hands are moving closer to my panties.

I am fumbling around and manage to remove his belt and unzip his pants with a few frenzied movements. He is erect and I am wet and ready. He begins pounding me fiercely while placing open mouth kisses along my neck and chest. My hands are in his hair and I am silently begging him for more. His touch is unlike anything I have felt before and I anticipate emptiness without it. I don't know how long we were in this position, but we are both startled by knocking on the door.

"Edward, are you in there son?" I recognized the voice as Esme's.

He stifles a moan. "Yeah, Mom…just finishing getting ready."

"Well, hurry up! The photographer is here and we're just waiting on you!"

He pulls out of me and I am instantly brought back to reality. We both quickly get ourselves together. I pull my panties back up and smooth my skirt down. I am also checking to make sure all the buttons on my shirt are intact. I feel utterly humiliated when he draws me out of my thoughts.

"I am so sorry. I don't know what came over me."

I shake my head, dumbfounded, and at a loss for words. The knock at the door begins again. This time it is Emmett.

"Hurry the fuck up, Edward!"

He turns to me and says, "I'm sorry, I have to go."

I nod in understanding and he moves towards the door.

"Don't forget your boutonnière…" I manage to choke out.

He turns to me and I place it gingerly in his hand. He smiles and there is a look in his eyes. Once again, it is a look I am unable to read.

**Reviews are much appreciated! Thank you.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you again for those who continue to be interested by my story. **** This chapter is for its namesake**.

**Stephenie Meyers own Twilight**.

The Daisy

"Ugh!" I huff to no one in frustration.

The day after Emmett and Rose's wedding I was still haunted by his kiss and his touch and everything else. I had to stop. I had no right to feel this way about anyone after everything that had gone on in my life. I decided at that moment there would be no more thoughts pertaining to Edward. He didn't even know my name. More than likely, I would never hear from or see him again.

Mondays were always the slowest day of the week for me. Wonderland was closed and I usually spent the day doing some cleaning around the apartment, grocery shopping and running errands. I started my day by showering and having some toast and juice for breakfast. I got dressed and walked a few blocks to Trader Joe's to buy some much needed groceries. When I got home I swept the floor, cleaned the bathroom, tidied up the kitchen and dusted the furniture. As I was getting ready to start the laundry, my phone rang. I automatically assumed it was Renee calling, but the caller ID indicated it was a local number. I froze and a million thoughts went through my head. Before I entertained any crazy notions, I surprised even myself by answering the phone.

"Hello?"

"Bella? It's me, Alice. I'm sorry to bother you at home, but I was a little worried about you yesterday. I wanted to check and see if you were okay."

This was strange. Alice had never contacted me outside of work before. I suddenly remembered what took place yesterday. After taking a few moments to collect myself, I walked out of the room into the hallway leading to the Aqua room. The hallway was now packed with wedding guests. I saw Alice at the end off the hallway talking to the Banquet Manager of the hotel, who we met earlier. I walked out the hotel doors and found Jasper waiting in the truck for Alice. I felt horrible, leaving so abruptly, but I needed to go home. I knew we were done setting up so I told Jasper that I felt ill and would take a cab back to my place. I left so quickly that I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to Alice.

"Hi. I'm okay. I'm so sorry I left you there yesterday, but I felt really sick. I must have had a bug or something. I feel fine now. Umm…how did you get my number, anyway?"

"Oh, you had it on your application when you applied for the job."

"Okay." That made sense.

"Well, I'm glad you're feeling better. I was worried about you."

I continued to apologize. We spoke briefly about the wedding and how beautiful everything was.

"Before I forget, I wanted to let you know that I'm throwing a party for Jasper next Sunday, after we close the shop. It's his birthday and I wanted to do something special. I know you just moved into town and you don't know many people, so I thought it would be nice for you to come."

SILENCE.

"Hello? Bella?"

"I'm sorry…uhm…" I stammered. "I don't know. I don't really know anyone."

"That's the point!" she says laughing. "And uh, James will be there…"

"James?" I ask.

"You know, the guy you rode with to the venue the other day."

"Oh, James…okay."

"Well, I'll let you go, but I won't take no for an answer. We'll discuss it more later. Bye, Bella. Enjoy your day off."

"Bye, Alice."

The phone rings immediately after I hang up. I pick up thinking it's Alice again.

"Hey, did you forget to tell me something?"

"Bella?"

SHIT.

"Hey, Dad."

"How are you? I know you've been avoiding our calls. We just wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm sorry. I've just been really busy." I lie. "I've been working a lot and you know…"

"I know, Honey." He responds. "I know you're trying your best. We just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"I wont keep you and I know you don't need any reminders, but her birthday is next month and we wanted to see if you were coming home."

_I flash back to images of the last birthday party she spent with us. A rare, sunny day in San Francisco. Family and friends gathered at a picnic area near Golden Gate Park. Laughter is heard from kids and adults alike. Multi-colored balloons, a jump house and face painter. Cupcakes adorned with fragrant daisies are stacked into a tower with a #2 candle at the top. Amongst all the commotion, my little girl was sound asleep in my arms. _

"_Mommy, mommy!"_

"_Hey, Seth. Are you having a good time?"_

"_This is the best party ever! Since Leah is asleep, can I blow out her candle?"_

"_Sure, Hon. Go find your Dad." _

_Moments later, he is back with Jacob. Leah is finally awake and we sing "Happy Birthday". We pose in front of the cupcake tower and flash bulbs go off. We were a family then, before everything was broken. That was a good day._

"Bells, you still there?"

"I'm sorry, Dad. I gotta' go, but I'll try my best to be there." Tears are starting to fall and he can hear it in my voice.

"I love you, Bells."

A muffled, "I love you, Dad" is all I can stifle out. That's all it takes for the floodgates to open. I find my way onto my bed. By then, I am sobbing uncontrollably. I cannot breathe, unable to stop the images that are in my head. My thoughts always seem to take me to her funeral. I see everyone's faces and it's clear that they pity me…they pity us. I search for Jacob and he is there, but he looks right through me. I hear Seth asking for his sister. His hands are wrapped around my neck. I want to bury myself in him and never look up again. I go through the motions of the funeral - thanking everyone for coming and accepting cards of condolences. Jacob is never the same. He never comes back from this.

I often remember the flowers that were placed on each of her cupcakes. They were chosen because I once read in a magazine that daisies were her birth flower: _blissful, curious and delicate_ are how people born in that month are described. It also said that the daisy meant _DEPARTURE_. Of course I never took that word into account. Why would I? But now I think that's kind of a fucked up coincidence. I thought meanings of flowers were supposed to be happy?

I slip in and out of consciousness. Hours later, once the sun has set, I get out of bed and search for my Lexapros. I cannot and will not dream tonight so I add an Ambien to my nightly mix. It's a dangerous combination, I'm sure. But right now, I can't bring myself to care. I am coherent enough to turn off all my lights and make sure the doors and windows are locked. I don't remember getting back into bed, but the next time I open my eyes it is morning.

It's a busy day at Wonderland and for that, I am thankful. Alice tells me that the Banquet Manager at The Four Seasons was so impressed with our work that there is a possibility we will become an exclusive floral vendor. The news has Alice floating on a cloud throughout the day. I am happy for her and wish I could share in her cheerful disposition. I am sluggish today and try hard to mask the pain. Although I often find myself on the verge of tears, I convince myself to keep it together and try to think of happier thoughts. Those are hard to find.

Alice is running the front of the shop. She's taking orders over the phone and via the internet; there are also a couple of walk-ins. Several brides come in for consultations for their upcoming weddings. I assist her in the front when things are too much for one person to handle, but mostly I busy myself in the back putting together orders that need to be sent out for delivery. That's one of my favorite aspects of this job; delivering flowers. The look on people's faces when they receive them is indescribable. To think, you can make someone so happy with such a small gesture. Alice helps me load the flowers into the van. I make stops to the NY Methodist Hospital, several office buildings and private residences. The day is coming to a close and I am spent. I enter through the back door and begin getting ready to close. I overhear Alice on the phone with someone I presume is Jasper. The door to the shop rings open and I am startled by the voice that comes through the door.

"Hi. Welcome to Wonderland, how can I help you?" I overhear Alice say.

"Hi. I was actually looking for someone. Are you the only one that works here?"

"I have an assistant. She's in the back. Let me go get her."

OH MY GOD!

Alice walks into the back room with a devilish smirk on her face.

"Bella?" I am frozen in place. "There's a guy here looking for you. He looks familiar, but I can't remember where I've seen him."

"The wedding," I reply. "He's Emmett's brother."

"That's right. I knew he looked familiar. What is he doing here?"

"I don't know."

"Well, go find out!" She says excitedly.

I stalk the front of the door and immediately take notice of my appearance. I am wearing a pair of loose-fitting jeans, a tight gray Henley top and black chucks. My hair is clean, but disheveled. I am not wearing an ounce of makeup. If I'm lucky, he won't even remember me. There is almost no resemblance to my appearance from Sunday evening.

I walk into the room and he has his back to me. As soon as I feel his presence I feel like a weight has been lifted. He turns to face me and once again I am looking into those eyes.

"Bella?" he says.

**Please review. I would really appreciate it. It would help me type faster thus more Edward sightings and lemons. **


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